Re: Passport Delays
 

Has anyone asked for their old passport back during all these delays? Mine doesnt expire for 3 years, but needs a name change due to marriage..thought we should all fly under one family name..WRONG!! If i could get the old one back and pay a trillion dollars to change my ticket.. might be less stress than what we are all going through now.

Re: Passport Delays
 

Don't bother. It's a 10-12 week timeline from the time they charge your card, not from when they receive the application.

Re: Passport Delays
 

Yes. Some people have had luck. Use the "Search this thread" tool at the top of this thread to look for those posts.

Re: Passport Delays
 

Feeling better right now - chanced the careline again, got through to a lady who immediately helped, and escalated the application. Told me I should receive a call within 72 hours. I know those calls don't always come, or don't always come that quickly, but at least the wheels are turning, and the next 6 1/2 weeks don't seem such a short amount of time any more.

All that said, it still annoyed me that when I called twice before I got the brush off, when this time I got instant help - I didn't even have to moan or plead. How can some of them be so helpful, and others not so?

Re: Passport Delays
 

Need some help again. Previously posted about my FIL (he is a British, living in Canada) passport. We have been waiting 5 months.
He sent in a money order. We were able to track through the post that the money order has not been cashed. He did receive an email with a reference number and has spoken to careline who has not been able to give him much information. Since it has been five months and the money order has not been cashed he is wanting to start the process over and resubmit everything but we are unsure what to do since he has received a reference number. Has this every happened to anyone else and any ideas if we should try to push current application or start over?
We have two reference numbers. One from passport management unit and one from the office in London.
We don't know what to do with these reference numbers either????
Any help greatly appreciated!

Re: Passport Delays
 

There is hope..I called the careline yesterday, who said I wasnt in the system..and was told passport office would look into it and call me within 3 working days. I got a call today from Washington office..amazing.. they found my application and as its a straightforward name change..I should get passport within next 2 weeks! Im excited, but know that seeing is believing. Anyway calling the careline obviously got something happening (I will post as soon as it arrives). The helpful lady at Passport office said they are really busy but things should start to get better soon.
Don't give up, keep calling, and hopefully you will get a friendly ear.

Re: Passport Delays
 

5 months seems a bit excessive even for the delays that everyone seems to have experienced here. Has he contacted the British Embassy in Canada about it?

Re: Passport Delays
 

He has and no one is able to give him information. We have no idea what to do at this point.

Re: Passport Delays
 

I called Careline last night and the man I spoke to told me they no longer are able to escalte applications. Obviously by the posts here he was lying to me :thumbdown:
I sent my application in mid May, card charged June 28th apparently will receive my passport by the end of August, missing the $3k vacation already paid for :frown: Three and a half moths for a ######g passport!!
I guess I will have to keep on calling careline to find someone who is willing to do this. I am happy for those who have received help and gotten their passports quickly, however it's frustraing to see people who have applied after me and have already received their passports and I'm told you won't get yours, sorry.

Re: Passport Delays
 

That's ridiculous. All I can say, from my own experience, is keep badgering them. It's pricey and frustrating, but eventually you should get someone who actually wants to fit their job description and help you. I spoke to several different people at different times, and each time until the last, I got told they couldn't help me because payment hadn't been taken, blah blah blah. Today when I rang I got through to someone who listened to what I was saying, took my details, sent an email off to DC for me, gave me a reference no., and told me I would be receiving a phone call within the next few days.

When they tell you they can't help because they haven't taken the application payment yet, that isn't true. Don't take no for an answer. If they really won't budge, wait a few hours until the next shift is on, and call back.

Re: Passport Delays
 

Do keep pushing them. I would think, as is the case with most phonelines, whether sales or customer service or whatever, that they have a basic script they are supposed to stick to. I would think that they are told to say they cannot escalate cases, but some of them act with more common sense (and compassion) than others.

Re: Passport Delays
 

I called careline last week for the first time and was told someone would call which they didn't.

This evening I called again and was told I probably didn't get a call back because they're processing the application. I call BS on that one. The lady today took my details again including our flight number this time. Said she was going to escalate again for me. If they would just send me back my supporting documents I could be in my way and they could take 10 years to process that application for all I'd care. Just really irritated right now :(

Re: Passport Delays
 

When do you fly?

Re: Passport Delays
 

aml1982, thanks yes I do intend to keep pushing them and calling them. I guess you have to get lucky to get the right agent? My hubby and son got their canadian passports today, took 10 days and thats includes being mailed from across Canada.

Writing a lot of emails today too, hoping that all the emails and phonecall will finally pay off. Congrats on getting yours escalated, hopefully I'm next :fingerscrossed:

Re: Passport Delays
 

We are supposed to fly august 12th. We're going back for good. Sent my daughter's application mid may expecting it to have been here by now. Makes it difficult to schedule shipping my belongings when I don't know exactly when we will be leaving. It's as if everything is on hold while time is running out. It's a disgusting situation to say the least!!